How to Heal
by Little Falcon
Summary: NaruSaku She opened her eyes to see his face glistened with tears. “It’s me Sakura, your Naruto. It’s me. Please, come back to me.”


**How to Heal**

_A/N: Alright guys this is my first Naruto-Sakura fanfic and also my first one-shot so please be gentle with me okay. Please R n R._

A young boy with blond hair sits in the classroom while chewing on one end of his pencil as the bell signaling for lunch rang. Staring into the vast blue horizon his thoughts floated with the clouds with growing boredom of life. _I'm tired of living. When will my life ever change? Send me a sign, a hint…anything. _He mentally pleaded. Then his thoughts were cut short as he saw a group of kids bullying a girl, shouting "Blind! Blind! Blind!" He jumped out of the window and saw that the girl they were bullying did no attempt to retaliate or even react. She just sat on the rock like she was all alone. Naruto hated people like this who bully those who can be bullied. "Oi, what do you think you're doing? You only pick on the weak ones because you know they can't fight back! Well then, why don't you guys pick on me instead." He announced just like he was a knight in shining armor. Five genins took on Naruto. Though he was bruises and wounds all over, he did beat the crap out of them. "Hey, are you alright?" he inquired as he kneeled before the maiden he had just "rescued". "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" the girl replied weakly.

"Are you sure you're blind?" Naruto asked. "I'm blind not incapacitated. I've heard your arrival and your struggle with the five genins. I believe I owe you my thanks. I'm Haruno, Sakura." She introduced as she opened her empty emerald-green eyes. "You're welcome. The name's Uzumaki Naruto, remember that name because I'm going to be the next hokage!" he shamelessly declared. "Sakura, why do you tolerate those guys anyway? You should've told them to leave you alone or something…" "Naruto, if I said that do you think they would go away? The only substitute for offense is defense and my defense is tolerance." Naruto was impressed by her answer because be damned she was right. "Where are your parents?" he questioned. "Dead. They were killed in the war before." "I'm sorry; my parents died the same way so I think we could connect." "I think so too. Would you come nearer please," she smiled. He did so. Upon feeling his nearness, she extended her arms and touched his face, memorizing the outline of his face, the size of his nose the shape of his eyes and the texture of his lips. "I think I'm done," she said. "What?" then Naruto examined his now wound-free and bruise-free body. "You're a healer? Only a few people can do that." Amazed as he re-examined his body again and again. "Alright from this day forward, I will protect you as long as I live." He proudly announced. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep," she intervened. "I know but this is one promise I wouldn't break." He countered. She leaned in and kissed his cheeks.

Days grew into weeks, weeks turned to months and months multiplied into years they became inseparable. Naruto was now a famous Jounin and Sakura was renowned for her amazing healing abilities though some still under-estimate her for being blind.

Naruto became a young man; known for his kindness and for his appeal on women but none would ever hold his heart than the woman sitting before her now. His undeclared feelings were becoming a rope that suffocates him and forces him to confess.

Sakura would never forget their first kiss. Naruto asked her to wait for him in the place where they first met because he has something to give her he said. So she did, it felt ordinary for her to wait for him there because ever since that has been their favorite spot. He was late as always. She heard he was panting hardly. "Where were you? You seemed to have traveled far from your panting." Sakura asked worriedly. "Um, nowhere. Have you been here long?" he asked as he took a seat beside her on the huge rock. "Not long, so why are we here anyway?" "Don't you remember? It's our eighth anniversary… its been eight years since we met in this very spot it this (Checking his watch) very hour." He said cheerfully as he took something from his pocket. "I haven't forgotten, Naruto. (She took something from her pocket as well). Here," she gave him a Konoha forehead protector with the words _I'll always be here for you, MY NARUTO_ embroidered on the cloth behind the metal plate. Naruto put it on right away. Gathering up all his confidence he blurted out "My turn, Sakura, err…I've known you for quite a while now and… umm… how should I say this err umm…that is err…" "I love you too, Naruto," Sakura finished as she giggled away. "I never knew the great Uzumaki, Naruto could lose his words in front of a mere woman." Naruto's expression gentled as he knelt before her one and only and held out her hand. "No, that's not it. I've known that ever since and you also know you're my world but this time… Haruno, Sakura (he inserted the diamond rind in her ring finger) I want you to marry me." Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Aren't you a bit fast, we haven't had a formal relationship and now you're asking for marriage?" she teased. "I know, it's just that I can't bare the thought of loosing you or even the thought of not being with you. That's why…" he looked deeply into her sightless emeralds and leaned forward. She felt his nearness and did the same. The feeling was indescribable. Time stood still and the gentle breeze blew for them. It was perfect. As his lips brushed hers, a feeling of contentment filled Sakura. And for the first time she felt she saw Naruto completely from head to toe and she loved it. He was the first person she saw without actually seeing.

All the girls were envied Sakura for having Naruto so they tried to break them apart but they failed. For the more they tested their relationship it grew even stronger.

When somebody asks Naruto what made Sakura stand out the most, he would usually answer proudly "Sakura is a girl that doesn't need eyes to see the real you. She was the one who ever recognized me for being me. Her beauty is unlike any other, she doesn't need cosmetics or any accessories to emphasize that just the simple way when the sun hits her face or when the moon illuminates her eyes that is the simplest yet the greatest beauty I've ever seen. She's not afraid to show herself to others thus she inspire others to do the same. I've got three words to describe her "Unlike Any Other" ".

Then war broke out and their poor village was no exception. Naruto and Sakura were separated. Sakura crawled deep into the forest as explosions were heard everywhere. Naruto on the other hand went back into the burning village "Sakura! Sakura! Where are you? Please answer me, please. Sakura!" he called out for Sakura until he could no more. The tragedy of war brought them together and broke them apart.

Sakura stood in the middle of the forest "Naruto! Where are you? Naruto please, help me. Naruto!" She was heard by a chunin in the neighboring village named Temari. She caught her as Sakura fainted. She brought her to their village where Sakura met Kankuro and Gaara. Learning of the tragedy that her village met, she assumed that Naruto was already dead. She cried every night thinking of him and every night Gaara was there to comfort him. It wasn't a surprise that Sakura fell in love with him and him with her as well. Sakura became the head of the medical team in the village. They agreed that she should have a cornea transplant for her to see for the very first time. So she did, the first thing she saw was Gaara's face but at the very subconscious of her mind what she wanted to see first was Naruto's smiling face.

Meanwhile, Naruto became the Raikage of the village that accepted him and the other villagers during the war. He was happy to accept the position but he could never deny the feeling that "Sakura should've been the first one to have congratulated me if only she was still alive." His subconscious whispered as he touched his forehead protector given by Sakura years back.

War was threatening to claim their villages so an allegiance was needed. Naruto traveled to the Sand village to negotiate a pact with their Kazekage, Gaara. He accepted him in his office. The Kazekage sat in his armchair while the Raikage sat across his desk while they discussed the issue at hand. While the discussions were going on, she entered the room "Kazekage, the people in the north have a lot of wounded men from battle so I'm going there to help," she announced not even looking at the people around her but Gaara. Naruto was stunned. _Sakura, Sakura is alive after all this time and now she can see! _"Sakura?" she looked at him bewildered. "It's me, Naruto." Her eyes widened and shook with surprise. "I don't remember recalling anyone with that name." she denied as she asked for the approval for her mission from her superior. Gaara agreed so she left hastily.

As she healed all those people who suffered the cruelties of war, she can't help but wonder about the blond guy who claimed to be her Naruto. _No, it can't be. My Naruto died in the war years back. It can't be him. _She convinced herself as she traveled back to her apartment. Sleep didn't touch her so she took a walk beside the river near her apartment. "Can't sleep?" he surprised her. "Me neither." He continued as he walked down to be near her. "Why do you keep pestering me?" Sakura was now growing irritated. In the shadows of the trees, a figure stood still as it listened to their conversation. "Sakura, it's me Naru…" "Stop it! Don't pretend to be someone you're not! My Naruto died years back. And even if he lived, he would have looked for me a long time ago." She rationalized as tears welled up in her eyes. "I tried…believe me I tried. It's just that I thought you were already dead so hope abandoned me." He said as he opened his arms for Sakura.

Sakura on the other hand stepped back "Liar, you're not my Naruto. Liar," she shouted as she closed her eyes forcing the tears to flow down her cheeks. Naruto forcefully took her hand and let her touch his face. With that act, the silent figure almost would have moved if it had not seen the expression on Sakura's eyes. Her eyes were still shut but she calmed down a bit as she touched his face. _Why does it feel so familiar? The outline of his face, the shape of his eyes, and the size of his nose and the texture of his lips then she felt his cheeks were wet. _She opened her eyes to see his face glistened with tears. "It's me Sakura, your Naruto. It's me. Please, come back to me." He pleaded as tears flooded down his cheeks. Then he pulled her to him to kiss her, at first there was nothing then as she closed her eyes the mental image of her long lost lover re-appeared after so years of absence. She never had this feeling even when she was kissing Gaara. It was a feeling that was from and for him only.

An overwhelming feeling gripped her heart, without thinking she embraced him as if he would disappear. "My Naruto, you came for me." She said as tears continually pour down her cheeks. The silent figure presented itself in the bare moonlight. "Gaara," Sakura surprised. She ran out of things to say s silence was her only answer to his searching stares. There was a sad expression on his face but there was no anger, nor jealousy. He approached them and took her hand. "I knew I was up against him even though he's not there" he returned a Sakura's engagement ring. "It's better this way. I knew for a fact that you still loved him in spite of his absence and my presence. I felt my defeat the moment he said his name." "Take care of her." He said as he dashed away.

An allegiance was still formed despite the events that had happened. War ravaged none of their villages.

Years passed…

"Sakura, don't wash the dishes I'll do it." Naruto said as he was cleaning the table. "Naruto, I'm pregnant not incapacitated." She sweetly replied. Soon after, Sakura gave birth to a baby girl which they named "Rei" which means salvation.

_A/N: Alright, your turn guys. Hit the purple button and tell me what you think. Thanks_


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